SAN DIEGO (AP) - The only thing that kept the San Diego Padres from getting shut out was pitcher Ian Kennedy’s first career home run.
It was another long ball, however, that grabbed everyone’s attention Thursday night.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run drive in the 11th inning and the surprising Miami Marlins earned a rare road win, beating San Diego 3-1 for their fifth straight victory.
Stanton lined an 0-2 pitch from Dale Thayer (2-1) to right-center, a rocket shot that cleared the fence in a hurry at spacious Petco Park. Stanton leads the NL with 11 home runs and tops the majors with 40 RBIs.
“We just got the wrong guy to the plate at the wrong time and he squared a pitch up,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “Not many guys can put the ball where he put it with that pitch.”
Kennedy was so crisp on the mound through the middle of the game that it appeared his home run might be enough for the offensively challenged Padres.
Stanton, though, connected after Derek Dietrich reached on a two-out error by second baseman Jedd Gyorko.
“It was an easy play,” Gyorko said. “It’s got to be made every single time. It’s unacceptable. It’s bad. It pretty much cost us the game, so it’s one of those things that’s going to be tough to swallow.”
Coming off an 8-1 homestand, the Marlins (20-15) took over sole possession of first place in the NL East for the first time since April 26, 2011. The last time they were five games over .500 was at 31-26 on June 7, 2012, according to STATS.
Miami improved to 3-10 away from home, the worst road record in the majors, by taking the opener of an 11-game West Coast trip. They did it despite being held to five hits by four Padres pitchers and striking out 17 times.
Kennedy tied his career high with 12 strikeouts for the Padres, who have lost seven of nine. They played extra innings for the third time in four games.
Kennedy retired his first 14 batters before Garrett Jones’ two-out double in the fifth. The right-hander allowed one run and four hits in seven innings.
“I felt totally good with my curveball, throwing it for strikes,” Kennedy said. “I threw it down and in for swings and misses. When you do that, you can pretty much pitch the way you want.”
Kennedy gave the Padres a 1-0 lead when he hit his first major league home run, a two-out shot in the second inning, in his 231st at-bat.
Miami tied it in the sixth on Christian Yelich’s two-out double and an RBI single by Dietrich. Kennedy walked Stanton and Casey McGehee to load the bases before striking out Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
Marlins starter Jacob Turner nearly matched Kennedy, giving up one run and five hits over six innings. Turner, making his second start since coming off the disabled list, is 0-9 in 16 road starts to begin his career.
A.J. Ramos (3-0) worked two hitless innings and Steve Cishek got three outs for his seventh save in eight chances.
NOTES: Kennedy struck out 12 three other times. … Kennedy’s home run was the first by a San Diego pitcher since Andrew Cashner connected July 27 at Arizona. … The 11-game road trip is the Marlins’ longest of the season. … 3B Chase Headley (right calf strain), on a rehab assignment with Class-A Lake Elsinore, is on track to rejoin the Padres on Saturday night. … Marlins RHP Jose Fernandez (4-1, 1.74 ERA) faces RHP Tyson Ross (3-3, 3.30) on Friday night.
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